Andre Caldwell needed nine catches to become Florida's all-time leader in receptions entering Saturday's game. The Gators had two regular-season games left. The fifth-year wide receiver needed less than one half to break the record.
Caldwell finished with a career-high 13 catches for 164 yards and quarterback Tim Tebow also had a record-setting performance as No. 14 Florida defeated Florida Atlantic, 59-20, Saturday in front of 90,107 at Florida Field.
Caldwell broke the record on a 10-yard reception late in the second quarter. It was one of Tebow's many completions. The sophomore finished 25 of 34 for a career-high 338 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for a score.
Tebow became the first player in NCAA Division I-A history to run and pass for 20 touchdowns in the same season as he continues to cement himself as a Heisman frontrunner.
His 20th rushing touchdown also broke the previous SEC single-season record shared by LSU's LaBrandon Toefield (2001), Alabama's Shaun Alexander (1999) and Georgia's Garrison Hearst (1992).
Caldwell's reception mark surpasses Carlos Alvarez, who had 172 catches from 1969-71. Alvarez was on the sidelines and gave Caldwell the game ball in the locker room.
"That was a little overwhelming when you think of all the great football players that played here and to have your name as No. 1 on the list as far as receptions at a school that has a great history of throwing the ball," coach Urban Meyer said. "(Alvarez) got very emotional in there. It tells you what kind of gentleman he is."
Florida handily beat Florida Atlantic but will not play for its second straight SEC Championship. Georgia defeated Kentucky, 24-13. Tennessee also beat Vanderbilt, 25-24. The Gators needed each of those schools to lose once.
Caldwell admitted to glancing up at the scoreboard during the game to check the Georgia score. Still, the Gators have bowl considerations to play for and a regular-season finale next week against in-state rival Florida State. That is enough motivation moving forward.
Florida (8-3) did not fall into the trap of overlooking the Owls. The Gators jumped out to a 21-0 lead as junior running back Kestahn Moore scored Florida's first touchdown at 8:39 in the first quarter. Walk-on Joey Sorrentino blocked a punt and redshirt junior Markus Manson returned it 19 yards for another score.
Tebow threw his first of two touchdowns to redshirt junior Cornelius Ingram to make it 21-0 with 1:45 left in the first. Ingram finished with four catches for 60 yards.
Florida Atlantic (5-5) scored all 20 of its points in the second quarter and amassed 311 of its 384 total yards in the first half. Redshirt sophomore Rusty Smith, who threw for 290 yards and a touchdown, scored from 1-yard out with 1:13 before the break to cut Florida's lead to 28-20.
But Tebow, who rushed for a 2-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and the Gators kept piling it on. He hit Ingram with nine seconds left for a 35-20 halftime lead.
Moore scored his second touchdown with 13:12 left in the third on a 6-yard run and later in the quarter Tebow hit freshman tight end Aaron Hernandez on a 13-yard touchdown strike. Hernandez's TD catch made it 49-20. He had three grabs for 58 yards. Fifth-year kicker Joey Ijjas booted a 36-yard field goal and freshman quarterback Cameron Newton's 24-yard run with 6:49 remaining was good for the final margin.
The Gators had 501 total yards and 28 first downs. They held Florida Atlantic to 4 of 15 on third downs. Sophomore linebacker Brandon Spikes and freshman defensive end Justin Trattou each had seven tackles. Trattou had two sacks on the same possession. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Ryan Stamper recovered a fumble. Caldwell had 10 catches and 137 receiving yards in the first half.
"There are a lot of teams that will play single-safety defense and that means your 'X' is isolated and he's our 'X' receiver," Meyer said. "When you go two-high defenses like the score that Cornelius Ingram scored on, that's two-high. We just came out saying we wanted to win this game. This is a team that was playing for a bowl game. I keep hearing about letdowns. We just wanted to go and win that game."
Notes: Sophomore return specialist Brandon James dressed but did not play. Meyer said James did not take care of his obligations on and off the field. Sophomore wide receiver Percy Harvin, who has missed the last two weeks with migraines and a sinus infection, was on the sidelines but was not available to play.
Meyer said freshman cornerback Joe Haden (ankle), freshman defensive lineman Mike Pouncey (hyper-extended knee) and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Lawrence Marsh (foot) were injured in the game. More will be known about their injuries Sunday and Monday.
broken records
broken records
Congrats to both Bubba and Tebow! That's awesome that Alvarez gave Bubba the game ball--love the connections with our history that Meyer has worked so hard to establish.
Wonder what's up with B. James? And I hope my boy Haden isn't injured too bad. He's been developing this season.
Wonder what's up with B. James? And I hope my boy Haden isn't injured too bad. He's been developing this season.
